The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has explained why the first sample of Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol, from his refinery appears clearer than the petrol currently in circulation.
Speaking during a broadcast at his refinery in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, Dangote highlighted that the clearer petrol is more environmentally friendly and could help reduce health issues associated with polluted petroleum products.
He noted that this new petrol would also protect engines from damage caused by the unclear petrol typically found in the market.
He said, “This is the sample of the petrol. You see it as a different colour, but that is the real deal. You are now going to have a good and genuine product.”
Regarding the colour of the diesel, he said, “I am sure Nigerians have not seen this colour of diesel before,” Dangote stated. “This is called Euro-5 diesel. It contains less than 10 parts per million (PPM) of sulphur. This will help vehicles, engines, and generators last longer.”
He further emphasised, “The health of the people and the environment will not be compromised. This is the real deal.”
Prior to this presentation, the management of Dangote Group stated that international oil companies insisted on selling crude oil to their refinery through foreign agents.
They argued that local crude prices would continue to rise because trading firms were offering cargoes at $2 to $4 per barrel above the official price set by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
The group also alleged that foreign oil producers appeared to prioritise selling the crude oil extracted in Nigeria to Asian countries.
In August, The PUNCH reported that the Dangote refinery was in dispute with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission over an alleged supply of 29 million barrels of crude oil to the refinery.
The Dangote Group accused the NUPRC of not effectively enforcing the Domestic Crude Supply Obligations regulations, claiming that the refinery had not received an adequate amount of locally sourced crude oil.
In response, the NUPRC denied these allegations, stating that it had facilitated the delivery of over 29 million barrels of crude oil to Dangote from January to June 2024.
The NUPRC maintained that it has ensured domestic crude oil supplies to the Dangote refinery and other refineries through its monthly production curtailment platform.